Clothesline



H. FULTON GLOTHESLINE- Filed June I L9, 1930 gwumato'v .N m U m w m amqs Patented Oct. 6, 1931 UNITED STATES HAROLD FULTON, OF WEST. DOVER, OHIO GLOTHESLINE Application filed June 19, 1930. Serial No. 462,359.

' This invention relates broadly to clothes lines andmore specifically to improvements in pinless, wire clothes lines and a method of making the same.

Such clothes lines heretofore produced have all possessed certain objectionable features. One of the objectionable features was that one or more ends of the wire or wires employed in constructing the links was exposed to contact with the clothes with the result that clothes hung thereon very often became torn and sometimes ruined because of their catch ing on the exposed ends of the wire. This was especially true when the clothes were being removed from the line.

Another objectionable feature was that the loop or eye portions of the wire links would pull out when the line was sub ected to excessive strains as when, for example, heavy articles, such as wet blankets were hung thereon and particularly when a strong wind was blowing.

The objects, therefore, of this invention are to provide a pinless wire line which not only overcomes the disadvantages of former lines but also to provide a line which is simple in construction and economic of manufacture.

Other objects and advantages more or less ancillary to the foregoing residue in the speof flattening the end 10 of the wire will be come apparent from a more complete examination of this specification.

Referring now to the drawings wherein is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention,-

Fig. 1 represents a portion of a clothes line constructed in accordance with the present invention Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of one of the links;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of one end of one of the links; and

Fig. 4 is a section on the plane represented in Fig. 3 by the line 44.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, the reference character 8 indicates generally the links or sections of the clothes line, each of which is constructed of a single length of resilient wire of suitable gage. The wire is preferably galvanized or otherwise protected to prevent rusting thereof.

In the formation of one of the links one end 9 of a piece. of wire is first flattened as at 10 and then bent back upon itself, as at 11 to form an eye 12 for the purpose of attach-' ment to a next adjacent link. The purpose of flattening the end 10 of the wire will be fully set forth hereinafter. Then the wire is again bent back upon itself ata point 13 substantially midway betweenfthe ends thereof to form a second attaching eye 14. The strand 16 of Wire intermediate the bends 12 and 13 and the return strand 17 of the wire are then spirally twisted upon each other to form a clothes retaining portion. The pitch of the spiral is relatively great so that the strands will yield under the pressure of an article inserted between the same. turn strand 17 is then bent to form an article or clothes receiving loop 18 between the last convolution of the spiral and the end 9 of the wire. The extremity of the return strand is then tightly coiled around the other strand 16 and the bent back end portion 9. By. referring to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be seen that the first convolution 19 of the coil is passed around strand 16 only but closely adjacent the The reflattened butt end 10 of the returned portion 9, whereas the succeeding convolutions 20 are passed around both strand 16 and bent back end portion 9. By this constructionthe end' 10 is enclosed and concealed within the coil and the possibility of the articles catching or tearing during the removal thereof, or at any other time, is thereby obviated. V

By flattening the end 10 of the wire as explained above, a divergence of thesides of the wire will be effected as clearly shown in Fig. 4. When, therefore, the opposite extremity of the wire is tightly coiled around the portion 10 and the strand 16, each succeedi n g convolution of the coil will be smaller than the preceding one. Or, in other words, the coil will assume a frusto-conical shape with the smaller end of the frustum toward the eye 12. By this construction pulling out of the eye portion 12 of the link is positively prevented.

Articles are hung on the line by inserting portions thereof in the article receiving loops 18 and drawing these portions toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, whereby the inserted portions are securely clamped between the twisted strands 16 and 17. In releasing the articles from the line it is merely necessary to pull the articles toward the article receiving loops.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character in order to completely set forth the invention, it is to be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to be restrictive or confinin g and it is to be further understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a pinless clothes line, a wire link having an article-retaining portion co1nprising a pair of twisted strands, an articlereceivin loop, an attaching eye at one end thereof formed by bending back an end portion of one of the strands, and means for enclosing and retaining said bent back end portion in enclosed position to prevent pulling out of said eye and protruding of the end of said portion, said means comprising a coil having a plurality of convolutions formed in the adjacent end of the other of said strands, the said bent back end portion being tapered divergently toward its end, the first convolution of said coil being disposed adjacent said bent back end but encircling said first strand onl and the remainder of said convolntions encircling both the bent back end and the said first strand and disposed in frusto-conical configuration.

2. In a pinless clothes line, a. wire link having an article-retaining portion comprising a pair of twisted strands, one of said strands having one end portion bent back upon itself to form an attaching eye, said bent back end portion being flattened and ta red divergently towards its end and a coil being formed in the adjacent end of the other of said strands and disposed around said first strand and said bent back end to prevent pullin out of said eye and protruding of said en In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature this 16th day of J une, 1930.

HAROLD FULTON. 

